Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc fka ARIA

[DonShimoda]

2Da, in response to an analyst question earlier this year, Harvey stated that he expected a median pfs for the placebo arm of 4-5 months. So, assuming a median PFS of 20 weeks (in the P2 the overall trial population had a median PFS of 15 weeks) and a targeted increase of 33% we're looking for 26.6 weeks. Of course, the risk is that the placebo arm progresses more slowly than expected but the fact that the IDC recommended the trial continue should provide some confidence that the arms are diverging.

fyi, this press release provides some additional background behind rida's P3 trial design:

"the data from the overall survival analysis of the Phase 2 trial further support our Phase 3 trial design and strategy, which focuses on metastatic sarcoma patients who have experienced a favorable response to prior chemotherapy and have at least stable disease. We believe this well-defined patient population has the greatest likelihood of achieving sustained clinical benefit from treatment with a new molecularly targeted agent such as AP23573."

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=118422&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=1010397&highlight=